9 most shocking behind-the-scenes secrets about The Conjuring Universe

Vera Farmiga’s mysterious claw marks
Vera Farmiga claimed to have experienced eerie phenomena while preparing for The Conjuring. She saw digital claw marks on her laptop screen after viewing Lorraine Warren's interviews online. After filming, she later found three mysterious scratches on her thigh. She also talked about bruises showing up in clusters of three and teacups flying off shelves. Producer Peter Safran acknowledged that the crew frequently experienced "a general sense of unease" during production, despite Patrick Wilson's joke that he was to blame for the scratches.

Meeting Lorraine Warren came with scars
Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga spent time with Lorraine Warren to learn more about the real couple, despite Ed Warren's death in 2006. Wilson suffered a strange mishap while visiting her farmhouse in Connecticut; truck debris flew at his vehicle, leaving him with lifelong scars on his hands.

Vera Farmiga’s dedication to Lorraine Warren
Vera Farmiga researched every detail of Lorraine before simply "portraying" her. Farmiga put a lot of effort into capturing Lorraine's presence without making her into a cliché, from her hand gestures to her intense gaze. She characterised Lorraine's clairvoyance as a combination of stillness and rhythm, spiritual yet grounded.

Real Ed Warren paintings on set
Producers used real parts of the Warrens' paintings to try to make the movies more grounded in reality. Ed Warren's original paintings, which Lorraine lent to the production crew, were among the most eye-catching additions. The distinction between fact and fiction was blurred when these pieces of art appeared in Ed and Lorraine's home, which was a movie set.

A continuous horror training ground
Following the conclusion of The Conjuring, James Wan immediately returned to the horror genre with Insidious: Chapter 2. Wan acknowledged that producing these movies one after the other helped him hone and reuse methods for other projects. He would experiment in Insidious, use it in The Conjuring, and apply the lessons learned in Insidious 2. Each film served as a training ground for the next.

The Amityville's true story
The Amityville murders, one of the Warrens' most well-known cases, are the subject of The Conjuring 2. Ronald DeFeo Jr. killed his whole family in 1974 after he claimed to have heard voices telling him to do so. A year later, George and Kathy Lutz moved into the house but fled after 28 days, citing sinister forces. During her investigation, Lorraine Warren remembered feeling hopeless. Wan honoured the case that influenced America's fascination with haunted houses and paranormal horror by incorporating Amityville into the movie.

Real-life the Enfield case inspired The Conjuring 2
The Enfield poltergeist in London, a case that is still hotly contested, is the main subject of The Conjuring 2. A priest blessed the set prior to filming, which was not done in the first film. Patrick Wilson detailed inexplicable occurrences, such as curtains that moved violently for no apparent reason. Steve Coulter, who portrayed a priest, said that since the movie dealt with human evil rather than fantastical monsters, it was best to "err on the side of caution."

Vera Farmiga haunted by 3:07 AM
Vera Farmiga had nightly awakenings at 3:07 AM while filming The Conjuring, which is also the time the clocks in the Perron family's haunted home stop. She joked that she was resigned to the "witching hour" because the uncanny coincidence persisted long after production was finished. When she checked her phone, she saw 3:07 staring back at her, admitting that the timing had lingered in her subconscious.

James Wan’s haunted inspiration
James Wan had already frightened audiences with Insidious before The Conjuring. He set the story in the 1970s, when Ed and Lorraine Warren were alive, because he was determined to make The Conjuring feel unique. Classics such as The Haunting (1963) and The Amityville Horror (1979) served as his sources of inspiration. With authentic costumes, set design, and cinematography, he aimed to make a beautiful but spooky period movie.